1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an accounting apparatus, an information receiving apparatus incorporating the accounting apparatus, and a communication system or information distribution system incorporating that accounting apparatus, and used in a multimedia network or the like, in which information is transferred, including moving-image data, other image data, voice recordings, computer programs, other recordings, and the like, and in which an account can be easily kept of applicable charges for services rendered.
2. Related Background Art
In the field of trunk communication networks, optical fiber networks have been consolidated, cable television has been used practically, and local area networks have been used. Various types of information are provided by using such communication networks. Information service industries are becoming larger, and charge tolls in accordance with the quantity and contents of the information provided. It is important for such industries to properly charge a toll for the information provided.
Protection of information (both as regards unauthorized access to information and as regards tampering with the contents of information) has not been yet perfected, and there is accordingly an issue of illegal use of information, including programs, images, and voice recordings. In order to prevent illegal use, a copy protection function is often provided, a serial number check is performed, or other prevention methods are performed. In the serial number check, a hardware serial number and a software serial number are compared with each other when each program is executed.
The copy protection function is inconvenient when a backup is to be performed, and the serial number check is inconvenient for the large-scale management of serial numbers and sales.
A concept called "super distribution" proposed by Ryouichi Mori aims at the protection of a software proprietor (hereinafter called an information provider). This concept was disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications Nos. 60-191322, 60-72218, 64-68835, 2-44447, 4-64129, and others. FIG. 1 illustrates the concept of "super distribution", as disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 4-64129. An information provider P supplies proprietary software PPi (or PPj) to a user terminal station 10. The user terminal station 10 includes a discrimination or judging unit 11 and a storage unit 12. The discrimination unit 11 judges whether or not the software PP is permitted to be used, by comparing a software identification number PIDi (or PIDj) with a user ID or condition. If usable, a use history of that provider information is stored in the storage unit 12.
The information provider P charges a toll for provided information (software PP) in accordance with the use history. Reference numeral 13 denotes a software service unit (SSU) including the above-described units.
The "super distribution" system is, however, associated with the following problems.
(1) In the "super distribution" system, whether a user is a subscriber to an information provider, is judged from data specific to the user such as a user ID. It is therefore necessary to prepare at least a storage unit for storing the data specific to each user. Each user first asks the information provider to issue a user ID or the like which is stored as the user specific data. Such subscriber permission procedure is cumbersome, and the management of specific data for a large number of users requires much labor. PA1 (2) In the "super distribution" system, the storage unit 12 for storing the software use history is used for preventing illegal use of information and for managing the use state of the information provider. In accordance with the use history, the information provider asks for the user to pay a charge. PA1 (3) With the "super distribution" system, although the use state and charges of provided information can be correctly managed, it would be desirable also to have a charge payment apparatus and method, without which, after the information provider checks the use state of provided information, the provider is required to ask for a charge and to receive it by using another system. PA1 (4) With the "super distribution" system, an information provider can charge a user for use of information by using specific data assigned to the provider information. But, with recently developing multimedia-networks, other information (data non-specific to the provided information), networks and terminal devices for using the provided information become very important. But, the "super distribution" system does not consider this feature.
In the "super distribution" system, information is not sold but rented, which makes the use history necessary. However, with this system, the information provider knows what information has been provided to which user, and the privacy of the user is not protected.